Local winners in national competition

Mary Glock received a White Ribbon in weaving with a table runner in krokbragd technique, a traditional Scandinavian weave.

Lindsay Lee received an Honorable Mention Award with a birch bark box.

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Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center, is pleased to announce that three Decorah-area artists received awards from the museum’s annual “National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition.”

In woodworking, Stanley Finholt received a Red Ribbon for a wet-turned walnut bowl and Lindsay Lee received an Honorable Mention Award with a birch bark box.

Mary Glock received a White Ribbon in weaving with a table runner in krokbragd technique, a traditional Scandinavian weave.

This judged exhibition is Vesterheim’s major summer show and was on display from June 10-July 26. The awards were announced in conjunction with Decorah’s Nordic Fest celebration held this year from July 24-26.

The exhibition includes rosemaling (Norwegian decorative painting), knifemaking, woodworking, and weaving. Vesterheim, which has some of the most outstanding examples of decorative and folk art to be seen in this country, established the rosemaling exhibition at the first Decorah Nordic Fest in 1967 and added weaving, woodworking, and knifemaking in later years.

“Some of the best practitioners of these traditional Norwegian arts enter the exhibition, which attracts national attention,” Laurann Gilbertson, Vesterheim’s Chief Curator, said. “This year’s exhibition included 170 pieces of beautiful contemporary folk art,” she added.

Each year, judges award Blue, Red, and White Ribbons representing points that accumulate over successive exhibitions toward a Vesterheim Gold Medal. Judges also present Honorable Mention Awards and Best of Show Awards.